Legitimate work at home ideas

Ever done an Internet search for work at home ideas? While seemingly innocent, this search string can lead many would-be self employed professionals down a path that’s really a virtual minefield of Internet scams and con artists. It is possible to make money online, and there are a lot of great, legitimate ideas that can help anyone get started on this path. Learning how to use these ideas to make money is the first step on the road of self employment.

Legitimate Work at Home Ideas

Looking for legitimate work at home ideas to get the self employment ball rolling (so to speak)? It can be difficult to launch a new career without even knowing where to begin. Find ways to create money-making opportunities in a few common work at home fields:

Consulting services. Have some sound advice to offer, strong organizational skills and a certain way with people? Consulting in almost all forms can be a very viable and lucrative work at home idea.

Salesmanship. Whether hand-crafted or purchased at bargain prices, products offered on the Internet are exposed to a huge market. The Internet is the world’s biggest garage sale, and there are lots of ways to use to use it conjunction with work at home ideas.

Becoming Self Employed

Becoming self employed can be a very tricky procedure. For every legitimate work at home opportunity out there, a scam exists. Even viable jobs can be exploited by less-than-reputable individuals and companies for the sake of earning money, which only makes the hunt for a new career that much more difficult.

To find legitimate work at home ideas, jobs and opportunities, first learn how to spot common scams and cons that snare many unsuspecting professionals. Even very clever, well-educated individuals can fall prey to self employment scams, so follow a few guidelines to avoid being taken in by an online con:

Look it up. Found a new work at home idea that seems like a great way to make money? Look it up to see what forum users and others are saying about the employment opportunity, particularly if there is a specific company involved with the work.

Identity withheld. Is the so-called hiring company refusing to provide information regarding identity, address or any other particulars? It may not necessarily be a self employment scam, but it may not be a great work at home idea either. Try to press to find out more information, and tread lightly with any employer who seems unduly secretive.

Work at Home Guide: A Readiness Test

Reality warns that operating a business or working from home is not for everyone. The article provides a readiness test, a work at home guide to get an idea if a person planning to self-employ is most likely to succeed or not.

Working on one’s own means independence, and to others, a “liberation” from a demanding or inconsiderate boss. Nowadays there are many work from home moms, and work from home online business. Being self-employed can be a most satisfying job. But, there are always trade-offs to account for.

For persons thinking of starting a business on their own, it is essential to establish a sense of readiness, a measure whether to proceed or abandon the business plan. A lateral option is to prepare for it before plunging into any business start-up.

The Small Business or Work at Home Guide, A Readiness Test

Are you confident of your own abilities, knowledge and skills?
Are you a self-starter who can set own goals, plans, and make decisions?
Are you determined to work longer hours than you would for an employer even without immediate financial gains?
Do you prefer working as your own boss?
Are you confident and happy working alone on a project or task to completion?
Can you organize your workload and manage your time accordingly?
Do you want to determine how much you earn, instead of relying on a set wage?
Are you prepared and flexible to study in your spare time to acquire and master business techniques?
Do you believe you can be successful running your own business?
Can you start right away if prepared with basic resources?

For the purpose of the test, the questions are answered honestly. It provides a good idea whether the person is likely to success in becoming his or her own boss.

If at least 7 questions are answered “yes” then there’s a good chance of succeeding in one’s own business.

Numbers 1, 2, 3, 7, 9 are particularly important as they are indicative of drive and self-confidence, and determination to face the challenges in becoming a business owner.

For a “yes” answer fewer than seven, a closer review and analysis need to be done and acted upon to make these negatives into positives.

Some people who find working from home opportunities legitimate but find themselves uncomfortable in running the risk of managing their own business opt for contract work, that is, working from home for an employer. For example, telecommuting in recent times has been one of the most popular home-based careers.

This article is of general nature and should not be relied upon as substitute for advice from a professional small business consultant or adviser.